Reference Sources for Historical Linguistics
"A branch of linguistics which studies the development of language and languages over time; also known as diachronic linguistics. The data of study are identical to that of comparative philology, but the methods and aims are not the same. Historical linguistics uses the methods of the various schools of synchronic linguistics (including sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics, especially in considering the reasons for language change). From the entry for Historical Linguistics in A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics.
Below are some key reference texts for historical linguistics and language change. The Comparative-Historical Linguistics bibliography in the Oxford Bibliographies series provides a nice overview of key themes, scholars and texts in the field.
Trask's Historical Linguistics by Publication Date: 2023The 4th revised edition of Trask's Historical Linguistics provides an accessible introduction to historical linguistics - the study of language change over time. This engaging book is illustrated with language examples from all six continents and covers the fundamental concepts, methods for historical linguistics, linguistic reconstruction, language contact etc.
The Handbook of Historical Linguistics by Publication Date: 2020This brand-new, second volume of The Handbook of Historical Linguistics is a complement to the well-established first volume published in 2003. It includes extended content, allowing uniquely comprehensive coverage of the study of language(s) over time.
The Cambridge Handbook of English Historical Linguistics by Publication Date: 2016This Handbook offers an in-depth survey of materials, methods and language-theoretical models used to study the long diachrony of English. The frameworks covered include corpus linguistics, historical sociolinguistics, historical pragmatics and manuscript studies, among others.
The Routledge Handbook of Historical Linguistics by Publication Date: 2015The Routledge Handbook of Historical Linguistics provides a survey of the field, covering the methods which underpin current work, models of language change, and the importance of historical linguistics for other subfields of linguistics and other disciplines.
Historical Linguistics: A cognitive grammar introduction by Publication Date: 2020This textbook serves a dual purpose. It is, first, a comprehensive introduction to historical linguistics, intended for both undergraduate and graduate students who have taken, at the least, an introductory course in linguistics. Secondly, unlike many such textbooks, this one is based in the theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics, a semantics-based theory which emphasizes the relationship between cognition and language
New Books on Historical Linguistics at UBC Library
Library Subject Headings
UBC Library, like most academic libraries, uses Library of Congress Subject Headings. Books on Historical Linguistics can be found in the UBC Library catalogue under these Subject Headings:
- Historical linguistics
- Comparative linguistics
- Historical lexicology
- Linguistic change
- Reconstruction (Linguistics)
- Language obsolescence
For books on the history of a specific language or language family, use the following format to narrow your search results:
Historical Linguistics: Key Journals
